Lemmon Rock fire lookout, near summit of Mt. Lemmon in Santa Catalina Mountains northeast of Tucson, Arizona.
  1. Home
  2. Fire Lookouts
  3. Arizona
  4. Lemmon Rock Lookout House
32.4349° N110.7895° WBortle 5Phoenix

Lemmon Rock Lookout House Photography Guide

Fire Lookout in Pima County, Arizona

  • Bortle 5 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 243°–299°
  • Clearest: June
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct
Photo: Ammodramus · CC0 · source

Located in Pima County, Arizona, Lemmon Rock Lookout House is a fire lookout. It is part of Coronado National Forest. It sits roughly 14.6 km (9.1 mi) ESE of Catalina. It dates from 1928. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Wikidata describes it as: “historic fire lookout”.

Nearest town
Catalina
14.6 km (9.1 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 5
Suburban sky
Clearest month
June
21% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
6.3 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:18 PM
sunset 5:52 PM

Light at Lemmon Rock Lookout House

Live
Sunrise
6:31 AM
Sunset
5:46 PM
Golden hour AM
6:16 AM – 7:05 AM
Golden hour PM
5:12 PM – 6:01 PM
Blue hour AM
6:06 AM – 6:16 AM
Blue hour PM
6:01 PM – 6:11 PM
Full darkness
7:08 PM – 5:10 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
2:42 PM / 12:59 AM
Day length
11h 15m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Phoenix. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Lemmon Rock Lookout House the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 81° in summer but only 34° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)6:28 AM90° E6:35 PM271° W57°12h 07m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:17 AM61° ENE7:34 PM299° WNW81°14h 17m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:12 AM89° E6:21 PM271° W58°12h 09m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:22 AM118° ESE5:23 PM243° WSW34°10h 01m

Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.

Golden hour & blue hour by month

Lookouts are built for 360° views, so sunrise and sunset are both options — use the azimuths to decide which view you want.

Month (15th)Blue hour startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:59 AM7:26 AM8:02 AM5:04 PM5:41 PM6:07 PM10h 15m
February6:42 AM7:07 AM7:41 AM5:36 PM6:10 PM6:35 PM11h 03m
March6:10 AM6:34 AM7:07 AM5:59 PM6:32 PM6:56 PM11h 57m
April5:29 AM5:54 AM6:27 AM6:20 PM6:53 PM7:18 PM12h 59m
May4:59 AM5:26 AM6:01 AM6:40 PM7:15 PM7:42 PM13h 49m
June4:48 AM5:16 AM5:53 AM6:56 PM7:33 PM8:01 PM14h 16m
July5:00 AM5:27 AM6:03 AM6:57 PM7:32 PM8:00 PM14h 05m
August5:22 AM5:48 AM6:21 AM6:36 PM7:09 PM7:35 PM13h 21m
September5:43 AM6:08 AM6:40 AM5:58 PM6:31 PM6:55 PM12h 23m
October6:03 AM6:28 AM7:01 AM5:18 PM5:52 PM6:16 PM11h 24m
November6:28 AM6:54 AM7:29 AM4:48 PM5:24 PM5:50 PM10h 30m
December6:51 AM7:18 AM7:56 AM4:43 PM5:20 PM5:47 PM10h 02m

Local time (America/Phoenix), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.

Milky Way & night sky

From Lemmon Rock Lookout House, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 29° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—1°—
February4:52 AM – 5:42 AM0.818°SE → SE
March3:03 AM – 5:03 AM2.025°SE → SSE
April12:59 AM – 4:19 AM3.328°SE → S
May10:59 PM – 3:49 AM4.829°SE → SSW
June9:14 PM – 3:34 AM6.329°SE → SW
July9:10 PM – 2:00 AM4.829°SSE → SW
August8:38 PM – 11:58 PM3.329°S → SW
September7:53 PM – 10:03 PM2.225°SSW → SW
October7:13 PM – 8:03 PM0.818°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—3°—
DecemberBelow 10° in darkness—-18°—

Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.

Estimated sky darkness: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.48 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 21% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (56%). July is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.

Average cloud cover (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F76839097106111108107104988977
Low °F181522323849646149302021
Precip. (in)1.11.10.60.40.10.22.52.21.30.60.71.1

Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.

Photography tips for this fire lookout

  • Shoot the tower itself against the Milky Way or star trails on clear, moonless nights.
  • Haze from wildfire smoke can turn the sun deep red but reduce visibility; check air quality.
  • Access roads may be rough or seasonal.
  • Some lookouts can be rented overnight through recreation.gov, which puts you on site for both sunset and sunrise.
  • Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.

Season: Summer and early autumn; many towers are staffed only during fire season.

Suggested gear: Wide and telephoto lenses, Tripod, Warm layers. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.

Nearby photo spots

Other locations within 25 km of Lemmon Rock Lookout House, closest first.

Mount LemmonMountain Peak
Mount Lemmon0.9 km away · Pima County · 2,783 m
Pusch Ridge Wilderness AreaWilderness Area
Pusch Ridge Wilderness Area8.0 km away · Pima County
Natural Arch
Window Rock9.1 km away · Pima County
Romero CanyonCanyon
Romero Canyon9.3 km away · Pima County
Waterfall
Seven Catarcts9.8 km away · Pima County
Waterfall
Seven Cataracts10 km away · Pima County · 1,581 m
Scenic Viewpoint
San Pedro Vista10 km away · Pima County
Scenic Viewpoint
Windy Point10 km away · Pima County
Scenic Viewpoint
Geology Vista10 km away · Pima County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Lemmon Rock Lookout House?
June has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Summer and early autumn; many towers are staffed only during fire season.
What time is golden hour at Lemmon Rock Lookout House?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:18 PM and ends after sunset at about 5:52 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:01 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Lemmon Rock Lookout House?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 61° in June to 118° in December; sunset ranges from 299° to 243°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Lemmon Rock Lookout House?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 5 (suburban sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lemmon Rock Lookout House?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Lemmon Rock Lookout House from Catalina?
About 14.6 km (9.1 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

Sources

Location data: Wikidata. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.